Woody Ratterman, Jr.

Woody Ratterman, Jr., a longtime resident passed away Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013 in a Chattanooga Hospital. Woody was born in Louisville, Ky., and was the son of the late Mary Catherine Riggs Ratterman and Bernard W. Ratterman Sr. His son, Scott C. Ratterman also preceded him in death. Woody was a graduate of Flaget High School in Kentucky and Indiana University where he was a letterman in baseball. Mr. Ratterman served in the United States Army as a 1st Lieutenant at Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Knox, Ky. He was employed by GMAC and Metropolitan Life early in his career. He moved to Cleveland with his family in 1968 with Metropolitan Life. He then joined Cornutt-McIntire Insurance and eventually bought out the agency which became Ratterman Insurance and Financial Services which he sold when he retired. He later joined with McIntire and Associates Insurance. He also worked for Jim Rush Funeral Homes and Smith Family McDonalds late in his career. Mr. Ratterman was very active in the community; he was involved in the Jaycees, Kiwanis Club, and the Elks Club. He coached little league football in Cleveland for many years. He was Chairman of the Cleveland City School Board and was involved in several construction projects of school buildings. He was one of the driving forces behind the construction of the first Cleveland High School Wrestling building and the baseball field. He was also President of the Cleveland Country Club for two terms, where he was a long time member. He was an active member of St. Therese Catholic Church where he served on the parish council, was a religious education teacher, a Eucharistic minister, and a 4th Degree Member of Knights of Columbus. Mr. Ratterman is survived by his wife of 56 years Mary Kay Phillips Ratterman; sister Martina A. Netherton (Daryl); son Stephen E. Ratterman, Sr. (Lucy); daughter Catherine L. Ratterman, son B. Woody (Trey) Ratterman, III (Becky). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Christina M. Kinzer (Nicholas), Stephen E. Ratterman, Jr. (Sally), Laura T. Bynum (Brice), Mary Amanda Ratterman, Christian S. Ratterman and Anna M. Ratterman; Great-grandchildren, Willingham L. Ratterman, Margaret M. Ratterman, Alice Clare Thomas and Harper A. Kinzer; Nephews Robertson I Phillips (Ann), C. Andrew Phillips, Daniel E. Netherton (Katherine) and David Netherton; He is also survived by sister-in-law Jean Phillips. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated Monday, Dec. 30, at 4 p.m. from the St. Therese Catholic Church with Reverend Michael Nolan, Reverend Joseph Patrick Breen, Deacon Gary Brinkworth and Deacon David Gruseck officiating. Graveside Service and Interment will be held privately for the family at the U. S. National Cemetery in Chattanooga. Military honors will be given. Rip Phillips, Drew Phillips, David Netherton, Brice Bynum, Nick Kinzer, Stephen Ratterman Jr. and Christian Ratterman will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Thompson, Jack Seymour, Dr. V. O. "Pete" Bryant, Dr. John Bryan, Roger Jenne, Henry Smith, Mark Smith, Jeff Rogers, Bob Borge, Bob McIntire, Billy Fred Allen and Duane Schriver. The family request that in lieu of flowers, Memorials be made to the Ratterman-Shell Memorial Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 2126, Cleveland, Tennessee 37320-2126 or to the American Kidney Fund, toll free 1- 800-638-8299, or to the Ronald McDonald House, 200 Central Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37403 or to the St. Therese Catholic Church Building Fund, 900 Clingan Ridge Dr., N. W. Cleveland, Tennessee, 37312. The family will receive friends from 1-7 p.m. today at the North Ocoee Chapel of the Jim Rush Funeral Homes. A Rosary Prayer service will be at 6 p.m. The North Ocoee Chapel of the Jim Rush Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements. You may share your memories and your condolences with the Ratterman family at www.jimrushfuneralhomes.com.